SPONSORED LINKS

Testing coils on a '94 Lumina

Tiny
W J PARKER
  • MEMBER
  • 1994 CHEVROLET LUMINA
I'm having problems with a Lumina 3.1L engine. It's hard to crank and it stumbles badly under acceleration. I've changed plugs and wiresbut it didn't alleviate the situation.

I decided to test the coils. I've heard that you can put a plug in a sparkplug wire, attach the wire to a coil, turn the engine over and observe the spark (obviously a no brainer procedure). Accordingly, you should see A) no spark = bad coil B) "yellow" fire = bad coil or C) blue spark = good coil. (I would like to interject at this point that I realize it could be the Control module failing which is making the coil/s fail)

Can anyone confirm this quick test? Or, is this test a complete waste of time?
SPONSORED LINKS
Sunday, September 10th, 2006 AT 6:52 AM

1 Reply

Tiny
JACKOTRADES
  • MEMBER
  • 13 POSTS
I would not believe you have a coil problem due to the hard to crank problem, what it sounds like is maybe a clogged exhaust or a bad air filter both are easy to check. While idling check to see how much back pressure is coming out exhaust if it doesn't feel like enough to you, try removing the o2 sensor so there is a outlet for the exhaust. It will be loud but if it runs and starts smooth chances are it's the cadillac converter. First try starting with air cleaner removed seeing how this is the easyest
SPONSORED LINKS
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
+2
Sunday, September 10th, 2006 AT 11:07 AM

Please login or register to post a reply.

Related Ignition Coil Test Content

Ignition Coil System Test Repair - All Cars
VIDEO
Ignition Coil System Test Repair - All Cars
Instructional repair video
Ignition System Testing
GUIDE
Ignition System Testing
Step 1 - Identify the type of ignition system to be tested, most cars, use a coil over plug (COP) type of system, there are several variations but all work on the same...
VIEW MORE

Sponsored links